August 7, 2008

HE IS JFK, JUST WISHES HE WERE MAVERICK:

To Democrats, he’s the second coming of JFK. His rhetorical gifts are Reagan-esque. Meanwhile Republicans are doing their best to depict him as Jimmy Carter 2.0. Everyone seems to have an opinion about which past president Barack Obama most resembles. But in some of the most important ways, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee resembles none of these past presidents as much as he does the one man who stands between him and the presidency: John McCain.

At first glance, such a comparison seems strained. Whereas Obama is young, black and cool-headed, McCain is seasoned, white and fiery. But looking beyond appearances and temperament to the substance of their policy goals, the candidates portray themselves similarly: as post-partisan reformers who are unafraid to stand up to special interests.

What’s striking, however, is that when it comes to accomplishing these goals, Barack Obama is a John McCain wannabe.

Heck, Paris Hilton has as impressive a legislative record in the Senate as Barrack Obama or John Kerry. It ought to tell Democrats something that they can't nominate people who have actually legislated. They're either too liberal to win the general, like Ted Kennedy, or too pragmatic to win the primaries, like a Max Baucus-type.
Posted by Orrin Judd at August 7, 2008 8:13 AM